“I assume Vana went with him?” Luka nodded again.
“Have you told Kalen?” I asked.
“No. I haven’t seen him yet.” Luka motioned at Eva and me. “The king called me to his chambers this morning and told me to bring you straight to him.”
As if he was listening, the king opened the door and smiled politely. “Luka. Matthew.” He looked at his daughter with a smile on his face. “Eva.”
She reached out and grasped his hands, pressing a kiss to his ring. “Good morning, Father. I trust you slept well?”
His smile faltered, but he stepped aside and recovered. “Please, come in. I must apologize for the early morning meeting, but there is no time to waste. The council will be here any moment, and there will be an important meeting taking place. You will need to prepare yourself.”
Eva quirked her head, eyes scanning her father warily. “What do you mean? Has something happened? Luka told us about what happened with Alistair.”
The king tapped his fingers on the table, opening and closing his mouth as if he were searching for the right words. Eva leaned forward, worry crossing her face.
“Father? What is it?” she asked, reaching for his hand. He took it, giving her a small squeeze before standing from the table and making his way to the window overlooking the kingdom.
Bells rang out, heralding the start of the day. Birds swooped down from the sky, chasing one another and diving for food. “Aethion is on the brink of war for the second time in one hundred years. Helia is at the helm, guiding the fight for others. Though, I suppose the blame lies on myself and your mother for how the feud started.” He turned and looked at Eva and I, meeting both of our gazes as we stared up at him. “Perhaps if we had given him power, given in to his demands, we would not be in this mess.”
I shook my head. “If I may, Your Majesty, nothing would have stopped my father from turning into the man he is today. If you would have given him power, he would have only strived for more.”
The king lifted his lips in a half-smile. “I appreciate you saying that, Matthew, and there is a part of me that knows it to be true. I am at a point in my life where I can only think back on the things I should have done differently, and our path with Lachlan has weighed heavy on my mind. By my actions, or rather inactions, I have not only put the life of my people at risk, but those I love most dearly.” He stepped around the table and cupped Eva’s jaw, swiping his thumb across her cheek. She raised her hand and covered his with hers.
The doors swept open and council members filed in, taking their seats one-by-one. Briar had prepared pastries, which decorated the long table before us. Frankly, they smelled delicious, but even sugary treats were not enough to settle the unease I felt.
Whatever Alric was about to do would have significant consequences, but I could not tell whether they would be for the better.
Luka moved to take his seat, but Eva’s hand shot out to stop him. “Luka, what is going on?”
“It’s not my place to say, Eva. All I can tell you is that I support your father’s plan.” He averted her gaze, pulling from her hold and taking a seat. “Even if you’re sure to hate me afterward,” he muttered under his breath, so only the two of us could hear.
Before either of us could ask, Eva’s father cleared his throat and signaled the beginning of the meeting. We took our seats quickly, and I gave Eva’s knee a reassuring squeeze. Her anxiety coursed down the bond, telling me what I already knew.
I could not get a read on Alric or Luka; both had dodged her questions this morning. I wasn’t sure how Eva was supposed to prepare herself for something she had no idea about.
Alric gave a tight-lipped smile, taking a final glance at Eva as he adjourned the meeting. “Thank you all for joining. I will make this brief, as we will have much to do today.” The council members murmured their welcomes before quieting down. “As of this evening, I will abdicate my throne and appoint my daughter, Evalyne Chevalier, as Queen of Helia.”
What?
Eva’s eyes grew round before she reached for the hand I laid upon her knee. Her fingers intertwined with mine, ensnaring me in a white knuckled death-grip. Shocked voices filled the council chamber as everyone talked over one another.
My mind raced over a million possibilities as to why Alric would step down at a time like this. There had been rumors amongst the staff, but none of it had made it to the public. For all they knew, their king was as fit as a fiddle, but I hated the look of betrayal on Eva’s face as she gaped at two of her greatest confidants.
Alric sat down after his announcement, setting clasped hands atop the table as he waited for the noise to settle. He trembled slightly as a servant came by with a steaming cup of tea, quickly taking a long sip before setting it down.
“Father?” Eva’s voice shook from barely contained anger. For the sake of being in public, I knew she was attempting to keep it civil. I counted the seconds, hoping Alric would turn and face his daughter, but he kept his gaze straight ahead.
Luka squirmed in his seat as Eva’s eyes drifted to him. “Well, there’s no going back now,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
If it were any other situation, I might have laughed at Luka’s words, but I could not bring myself to find humor in a situation that clearly angered Eva. And though neither of us understood the reasoning, this was a shitty way to handle the news.
To bombard her with this nonsense in a room full of people? Yes, Alric and Luka knew what they were doing. Both knew Eva would dismiss the idea if she had a chance to argue. By giving the announcement to her at the same time as the council, they forced her hand and made the decision for her.
Luka was right; there was no going back now.
Chapter17
Eva
